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Collins sticking with Farnsworth as closer

4/23/14: Kyle Farnsworth gets Matt Holliday to fly out to earn his second save of the season and secure the Mets' 3-2 win over the Cardinals

By Jack Etkin
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Special to MLB.com |

DENVER -- Kyle Farnsworth blew a save and took the loss Saturday night, but manager Terry Collins said he wasn't planning to remove him from the closer role.

Coming on in the ninth with the Mets leading 10-9 after scoring in the top of the inning, Farrnsworth gave up a leadoff single to Troy Tulowitzki and a one-out walk-off home run to pinch-hitter Charlie Culberson.

Farnsworth also suffered the loss April 26 at Miami when he gave up a homer in the 10th to Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

"Right now Kyle's the closer," Collins said. "We're playing in Colorado at Coors Field. For years and years, the one thing that made these guys such a good team, they're up here. I've lost a lot of games here in the last 10 years. My first year as a manager in the big leagues, I was in Houston when this stadium opened (in 1995). I called down to the bullpen many times and nobody answered the phone. And that tells you exactly how it looks like to pitch here."

Levity notwithstanding, Collins might have a closer option in Daisuke Matsuzaka. Collins said he didn't plan to use him today after he threw 40 pitches in 2 2/3 innings Saturday night and seemed to be dealing with soreness in his right calf.

"He has had a history of a calf issue," Collins said. " As I said 10 days ago, he's got to be one our options we're going to close with. But it won't be today."

Matsuzaka has a 1.74 ERA in 10 relief appearances this season, and has allowed one run in 9 1/3 innings in his past six games. He earned his first Major League save on April 24, pitching a scoreless inning in the Mets' 4-1 win over the Cardinals.

Jack Etkin is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.